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Vladimir Putin's former speechwriter, Abbas Gallyamov, worked under Putin for three years when he first became president of Russia and has described him as being "very rational," with "no emotions at all".

Speaking to 5 Live's Clare McDonnell, he said Putin aimed for "Russian troops to enter the border, the Ukrainians would surrender and [President] Zelensky would flee away to the USA".

He said Putin's ideologies derived from never "hearing objections or criticism" from those around him and that he’s become "the victim of his own system he created".

Abbas explained Putin would see the sanctions put in place by the West as something he'd need "cancelling", along with Ukraine "meeting [his] demands to not join NATO"; both would be reason enough in his opinion for Putin to relax his attitudes on war.

This clip is from 5 Live Drive on Wednesday 2 March 2022.